Monday, April 30, 2012

On April 20th a group of students from Christiana High School parked a bus out front of St. Stephen's Church Pantry and unloaded over 1800 items they collected from their April Food Drive. The group included eight students who acted as team leaders for groups of other students who signed up for volunteer hours with LCS.

The team leaders were tasked with developing their groups by recruiting more participants and in creating a plan of attack for the food drive. Each group came up with different strategies and competed amongst each other for bragging rights on who collected the most units of food. The students put in over 250 much needed volunteer hours. This was the first time Christiana High School did a food drive with LCS and when asked how it went, guidance counselor Kim Habbert announced "We definitely want to do this annually, but maybe one in the fall and one in the spring."

We certainly are more than happy to accommodate Christiana High School on that sentiment! Each team leader and the counselors were given surveys so that we can learn more about their experience with the food drive and better fine tune our efforts and support to make it an even better experience for all in the future.

Food Drives are a fantastic way for schools to volunteer for LCS. Since many high school students need volunteer hours before graduation, and can only do so after school hours when we are no longer open, it solves many logistical issues providing large groups with volunteer opportunities that otherwise would be difficult to manage.

The students earn their hours, while fine tuning their leadership and organizational skills. They learn about marketing, promotion and the needs within their community. Most important they learn to work together as a team. We benefit from the public awareness they raise with their efforts and most important we get the much needed food for our pantry. It's a win - win!

We would like to thank Christiana High School, the Guidance Department and most of all the students for all of their hard work!

I know we all look forward to working with them again this fall on the next food drive and another school bus pulling up to our doors.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

President Barack Obama officially proclaimed the week of April 15-21 to be National Volunteer Week. National Volunteer Week is a week long celebration of volunteer recognition and the power of service.

Congratulations to all who have volunteered their time, wherever it was you participated!

Looking for an opportunity to volunteer? LCS is currently in desperate need for individuals who are interested in organizing food drives and for team captains for it's upcoming 21st Annual Hunger 5k Walk/Run being held on September 15 at Rockford Park in Wilmington.

We need two basic things to provide services at LCS:

Money and Food.

What many of us have every day and maybe don't have to think about all that much.

We rely on money to purchase food and to provide assistance with housing. We rely on food donations to help keep us capable of helping the ever increasing need for emergency food supplies to families in Delaware. In 2011 we had a 19% increase in requests, helping over 84,000 people last year. This year we expect those surreal numbers to rise again.

One way to help us raise money is to participate in our Hunger 5k Walk/Run. Volunteer to become a team captain while pulling together some good friends and family for a good time and an even better cause.

I'll be posting more information about Food Drives and becoming a Team Captain soon.

If you ever wish to see exactly where the food and funds go, please feel free to join us for one of our "Food for Thought" tours held at our Rodney Street Office and St. Stephen's Pantry. We would love to have you! (Dates located to the right.)

Our Nation has been profoundly shaped by ordinary Americans who
have volunteered their time and energy to overcome extraordinary
challenges. From the American Revolution and the Seneca Falls Convention
to the everyday acts of compassion and purpose that move millions to
make change in their communities...click here for more.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

CHRISTIANA HIGH SCHOOL’S 30-DAY FOOD DRIVE

Wilmington,
DE…March 28, 2012…Motivated students from Christiana High School have
started a 30-day long food drive at their school which will benefit
Lutheran Community Services’ (LCS) emergency food assistance programs
for low income people throughout New Castle County. The student-run food
drive began March 20, and will be completed on April 20.

LCS
is very much in need of donated food. The agency had a 19% increase in
food clients last year, going from 58,139 in 2010 to 69,369 in 2011.
“That kind of an increase is bound to put pressure on our resources, so
this huge food drive from Christiana High is going to be a big help to
meet the growing needs of our low income neighbors,” said Jean Warren,
executive director of LCS.

The Christiana High School LCS
food drive grew out of a community volunteer fair organized by a
Christiana student as her Senior Project. LCS was invited and as a
result over 100 students signed up to help LCS. Cher Frampton, the
agency’s volunteer coordinator, worked with students to develop the food
drive model.

The food drive is picking up momentum with
various “captains,” who have each developed their own food drive plan.
Everything collected will be ultimately delivered to LCS headquarters at
St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church at 13th and Broom Streets in Wilmington.
Once there it will be inventoried and immediately distributed through
the LCS pantry system to low income individuals and families who are in
need of food.

In addition to its food ministry, LCS
provides emergency housing and other forms of assistance. Through all of
its programs LCS helped 84,000 people last year.

Editors: This information is prepared for church
newsletter editors, secretaries and pastors. Your help in getting the word out
is appreciated and will help LCS achieve its mission of “Sharing God’s
blessings by helping others in need.” Comments about timing or content are
welcome. Contact Steve Tindall (stindall@lcsde.org).
302 654 8886.

LCS FAITH Center Delivers

We received a warm letter from a recent FAITH Center client
that goes a long way toward explaining the unique role that the FAITH Center
plays for its clients. The letter begins:
“I was at my lowest point on April 4, 2012, but little did I know that
on that same day I would receive monetary and nonmonetary deliverance through
the FAITH Center.” Dorothy’s story is almost like a composite of our clients…a
traumatic upbringing, job downsizing, unemployment, constant badgering from
bill collectors…. Also like many of our clients she was confused about her
appointment, showed up on the wrong day but returned on the right one. Dorothy
calls that meeting a “turning point in my life,” and a “divine appointment”
that went well beyond her need for utilities. She had nothing but positive
things to say about the LCS FAITH Center employees. Her letter was peppered
with praise about their welcoming caring attitude, compassion, and empathy. To
conclude, Dorothy got financial help with her utilities, and much more.

LCS recently revamped its website in an effort to make it
more accessible, pleasing, consistent and helpful to clients, volunteers,
donors and anyone else interested in our ministry. We invite you to take a
look! In some ways our website is still evolving – a work in progress. Right
now we are using Pay Pal for online donations, but we will be replacing that
with a new program – qgiv – which will suit our needs better. The Walk Run
represents another area of change. In just a few weeks, we expect to have an
online form that will replace the current registration process where people can
download and print an application form which has to be delivered by fax, mail,
or email. Continuous improvement is our goal.
We hope you enjoy a visit to www.lcsde.org.

LCS Volunteer Coordinator

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Welcome

Welcome to the LCS Volunteer Coordinator's Blog. The purpose of this blog is to share information and to interact with the LCS Volunteer Community. I will be posting notices from various areas of LCS and writing my own stories as well! If you have something you wish to share, please contact me here.

Scroll down the right side of this blog to see all of our links, social media, upcoming events and blog archive.

Food for Thought Tours

Contact our office at 302.654.8886 x 100 to schedule a tour of our facility. We would love to show you around!Please allow 60 minutes for the program and tour.